Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko, left, and Jesus Guzman collide as they both try to field a pop-up by Colorado Rockies Michael Cuddyer, a moment from the rookie Gyorko's first week in majors. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)— AP

Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko, left, and Jesus Guzman collide as they both try to field a pop-up by Colorado Rockies Michael Cuddyer, a moment from the rookie Gyorko's first week in majors. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Balloons and streamers fill the air at Coors Field before a baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres in Denver, Friday, April 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)— AP

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Jason Marquis works during the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Friday, April 5, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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San Diego Padres' Everth Cabrera (2) is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after he scored in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, in Denver, Friday, April 5, 2013. Cabrera scored from second on an RBI-single by Jesus Guzman. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)— AP

San Diego Padres' Everth Cabrera (2) is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after he scored in the first inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, in Denver, Friday, April 5, 2013. Cabrera scored from second on an RBI-single by Jesus Guzman. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)
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DENVER 
Jason Marquis had his electrifying slider working in the thin air of Coors Field.

He got into trouble when he abandoned the pitch, trying to handcuff the Colorado Rockies' potent lineup with fastballs.

Didn't work out so well.

Marquis surrendered solo homers to Wilin Rosario and Dexter Fowler and the San Diego Padres lost 5-2 on Friday in the Rockies' home opener.

"I should have used my sinker a little bit more today because I had a good one," Marquis lamented. "I can't let the elements of the ballpark affect how I go about my business. The toughest thing for me here is the grip on the ball. That is the only thing that comes into play."

Marquis (0-1) was cruising along early before a costly fielding error by shortstop Everth Cabrera in the third paved the way for the Rockies' three-run third inning. Marquis lasted six innings and gave up five runs, only two earned.

"It has happened all my career. I don't know how many times," Marquis said of the miscue. "We are a team. We pick each other up. There are going to be times where they make great plays and get me out of a big inning. And I have to do the same for my teammates."

That two-out error by Cabrera certainly opened the door for the Rockies. Cabrera couldn't cleanly corral Josh Rutledge's slow roller, allowing Chris Nelson to trot in from third. After Carlos Gonzalez walked, Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run double to left-center.

"Tough play," Cabrera conceded.

Francis (1-0) was ahead of batters all afternoon as he scattered five hits over six innings. The soft-throwing lefty nearly became the first Rockies starter since last June to throw more than 100 pitches, but was pulled after striking out Nick Hundley on his 97th offering to finish the sixth.

The last time a Colorado starter reached the century mark in pitches was last June 12, a stretch of 106 games. It's the longest string in the majors since records started being kept by STATS in 1988.

This was Francis' first home-opening start for the Rockies and he was sharp in front of the raucous sellout crowd. With a fastball that barely creeps above 86 mph, Francis kept the Padres' off balance. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.

"I just felt like I could throw anything today," he said.

Especially when he ran into trouble, which was rare on the picture-perfect afternoon.

"I always have confidence in Jeff that he can wiggle his way through stuff when he starts to get some traffic or things start to happen out there," first-year skipper Walt Weiss said. "He does a nice job when he gets into trouble of figuring things out."

Francis had his good curveball Friday, maybe even the best one he's had in years - at least that was the opinion of Padres manager Bud Black.

"If he was to draw up a game plan, that was how he would do it to have success," Black said.